Review Insights · App Store
Couchsurfing Travel App
CouchSurfing International Inc. · 8,987 ratings · ★ 4.5
4.5
★★★★★
8,987 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 86 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"update"
42 negative reviews mention this · 49% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Awful. The worst update ever. The App was already bad with people using it as a Dating App. Now, it request to pay or share your information to be able to read your messages. It is trash not useful anymore. I have been a member for a long time. I …" - Sirenacat2
2
"version"
17 negative reviews mention this · 20% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Quit messing up the app. Was the old version perfect? No, but at least it didn’t have the amount of glitches the current app has. Now you can’t even login to the app without it telling you that you need to pay for a subscription that you already have. Yall are real…" - maguinn
3
"been"
15 negative reviews mention this · 17% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Awful. The worst update ever. The App was already bad with people using it as a Dating App. Now, it request to pay or share your information to be able to read your messages. It is trash not useful anymore. I have been a member for a long time. I …" - Sirenacat2
4
"couchsurfing"
14 negative reviews mention this · 16% of all complaints
★★★★★ "What just happened. Couchsurfing chaged their whole design, it totally looks like a dating app now... Confusing, not user friendly, far from what it was. I unfortunately paid the yearly subscription before this whole thing." - MarcanoC
5
"years"
13 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Not user friendly. The app has become incredibly difficult to use. The messaging system feels cluttered, with chat request now required and no clear way to delete hundreds of old messages which seem to have appeared out of nowhere. I’m also confused by many o…" - elliebeegypsy
6
"subscription"
11 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "What just happened. Couchsurfing chaged their whole design, it totally looks like a dating app now... Confusing, not user friendly, far from what it was. I unfortunately paid the yearly subscription before this whole thing." - MarcanoC
7
"people"
11 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Awful. The worst update ever. The App was already bad with people using it as a Dating App. Now, it request to pay or share your information to be able to read your messages. It is trash not useful anymore. I have been a member for a long time. I …" - Sirenacat2
8
"terrible"
10 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
★★★★★ "And total abomination, disgrace and disaster of a redesign.. What a disgrace of an update. So many bugs and issues that is not even worth mentioning them and just absolutely terrible ux and navigation. It’s hard to believe they were so careless and clueless as to launch such an abomination. Read all …" - Aluxekin
9
"design"
9 negative reviews mention this · 10% of all complaints
★★★★★ "What just happened. Couchsurfing chaged their whole design, it totally looks like a dating app now... Confusing, not user friendly, far from what it was. I unfortunately paid the yearly subscription before this whole thing." - MarcanoC
10
"user"
9 negative reviews mention this · 10% of all complaints
★★★★★ "What just happened. Couchsurfing chaged their whole design, it totally looks like a dating app now... Confusing, not user friendly, far from what it was. I unfortunately paid the yearly subscription before this whole thing." - MarcanoC
11
"profile"
9 negative reviews mention this · 10% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Redesign ruined hosting. Why is a paid app harder to use after a redesign than it was before? I've been an active Couchsurfing host for about six years, and I've hosted more than fifty travelers. The redesign has made the app far more tedious, especially for hosts.…" - Shenzhouraptor
12
"horrible"
9 negative reviews mention this · 10% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Horrible update. New update SUCKS" - Jesseeka0103
📋 All 86 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
What just happened
Couchsurfing chaged their whole design, it totally looks like a dating app now... Confusing, not user friendly, far from what it was. I unfortunately paid the yearly subscription before this whole thing.
Awful
The worst update ever. The App was already bad with people using it as a Dating App. Now, it request to pay or share your information to be able to read your messages. It is trash not useful anymore. I have been a member for a long time. I am so disappointed
Not user friendly
The app has become incredibly difficult to use. The messaging system feels cluttered, with chat request now required and no clear way to delete hundreds of old messages which seem to have appeared out of nowhere. I’m also confused by many of the recent changes, which feel sudden and poorly explained.
I spent about 30 minutes trying to post a trip and still couldn’t figure it out. Is a trip now considered a post or are those different things? I couldn’t even find a place to enter dates. Eventually, I gave up.
It feels like the platform went years without any major updates, then suddenly changed everything at once. A more gradual rollout would’ve made the transition much easier for longtime users.
I spent about 30 minutes trying to post a trip and still couldn’t figure it out. Is a trip now considered a post or are those different things? I couldn’t even find a place to enter dates. Eventually, I gave up.
It feels like the platform went years without any major updates, then suddenly changed everything at once. A more gradual rollout would’ve made the transition much easier for longtime users.
The new update is not it
Bring back the old CS!
Redesign ruined hosting
Why is a paid app harder to use after a redesign than it was before? I've been an active Couchsurfing host for about six years, and I've hosted more than fifty travelers. The redesign has made the app far more tedious, especially for hosts. Searching for travelers coming to my city is now disorganized, with inconsistent travel-date formatting and no clear chronological order. The flow takes more clicks, adds unnecessary loading screens, and buries key information. Traveler photos are constantly blocked by a photo overlay that can't be moved, and the dark visual design makes profiles even harder to scan, because the details that matter no longer stand out. I gave this feedback shortly after launch. It was never addressed. I now open the app less and offer to host less, because using it is so frustrating.
Patrick Dugan owns this. Under his leadership, Couchsurfing has shown weak product vision, poor execution, and a long-running failure to fix the core problems active hosts and travelers actually live with. He shipped a redesign full of obvious bugs, let the one-star reviews pile up, and still has not meaningfully engaged with the people paying for it. So what is the priority here? If it is not a stable, usable product and a real response to paying customers after a botched redesign, what is your team actually doing?
I've canceled my subscription. I'm tired of paying a company that takes my money and ships a worse product every year. If you're weighing whether to subscribe or renew, ask yourself whether this team has earned it. Until the core host and traveler workflows are fixed, I can't recommend giving Couchsurfing another dollar.
Patrick Dugan owns this. Under his leadership, Couchsurfing has shown weak product vision, poor execution, and a long-running failure to fix the core problems active hosts and travelers actually live with. He shipped a redesign full of obvious bugs, let the one-star reviews pile up, and still has not meaningfully engaged with the people paying for it. So what is the priority here? If it is not a stable, usable product and a real response to paying customers after a botched redesign, what is your team actually doing?
I've canceled my subscription. I'm tired of paying a company that takes my money and ships a worse product every year. If you're weighing whether to subscribe or renew, ask yourself whether this team has earned it. Until the core host and traveler workflows are fixed, I can't recommend giving Couchsurfing another dollar.
Que pedazo de mierda
La aplicación en su última versión es un pedazo de mierda. No se pueden ver las fotos, los filtros son una basura. La aplicación en general es una basura. Que pedazo de mierda.
And total abomination, disgrace and disaster of a redesign.
What a disgrace of an update. So many bugs and issues that is not even worth mentioning them and just absolutely terrible ux and navigation. It’s hard to believe they were so careless and clueless as to launch such an abomination. Read all the reviews after the update , everyone agrees it’s a disaster, a huge downgrade and a royal mess up. If they don’t fix this gigantic mistake soon sadly it will be the end of CS
Quit messing up the app
Was the old version perfect? No, but at least it didn’t have the amount of glitches the current app has. Now you can’t even login to the app without it telling you that you need to pay for a subscription that you already have. Yall are really testing patience out here.
Couchsurfing deleted my 5 y.o + account for no reason
I remember last time it asked me to pay subscription fee to be able to log in (although I had the app for years and never logged out) and after recent update, I cannot log in my account simply because they deleted it without warning or notice. My account has not violated any terms, I have not actively used it lately but I had many connections, references, and many many stays I hosted. All gone! I don’t know what to feel about it now.
Longtime user
Oh boy this update is sad. I first used Couchsurfing in 2011 and most recently in 2025. It should have remained free, especially if they were going to create a worse app. I also think they stole my data because I can’t seem to access my old profile. I’ll give Couchers or another alternative a try.
Garbage
Since the new update, I only paid once and honestly I don’t think I’ll ever pay again. The app has become a complete disaster. It feels like the whole update was made by AI with no real understanding of what users actually need. Basically, if you don’t pay, they hold your existing information hostage. The Hangouts section doesn’t work the way it should, and the overall experience is just terrible now. Really disappointing update. Piece of garbage.
Absolute Garbage Now
I’ve been using Couchsurfing for over a decade now and have had so many lovely experiences because of it.
Sad to see the app devolve into its current state. The most recent overhaul has made it so bad as to nearly be unusable. It’s clear that no one even tested it before release.
Can no longer see full photos because of how the app tries to display them (which is poorly.)
Lost useful info like the last time someone signed on.
Just about every feature you might have used on here is decidedly worse than it was before (which honestly was never great, but was at least more useable than it is now.)
Sad to see the app devolve into its current state. The most recent overhaul has made it so bad as to nearly be unusable. It’s clear that no one even tested it before release.
Can no longer see full photos because of how the app tries to display them (which is poorly.)
Lost useful info like the last time someone signed on.
Just about every feature you might have used on here is decidedly worse than it was before (which honestly was never great, but was at least more useable than it is now.)
Horrible update
New update SUCKS
used to be really good
CS has been going down the toilet for at least the past couple of years. Used to be my fav mode to travel and meet people on the road, but it was monetized a couple of years ago and now they’re trying to make it into a social media it seems..? no thank u. i will be using other modes to meet/host/stay with authentic people across the world
Not safe, not user-friendly, and no longer feels like Couchsurfing
I used to value Couchsurfing for its real community and human connection, but the app has changed drastically without proper warning or user consent after charging people for what felt like a completely different, more user-friendly platform.
The new app is frustrating to use. Every time I open it, I have to verify my email, receive a PIN, and go through extra steps just to sign in. It does not seem capable of saving my login or keeping me signed in like a normal app should. The design is also completely different from the old platform, and users were not prepared for the change.
The events section has also become diluted with impersonal Couchsurfing-sponsored events that no one seems to attend, making it much harder to find real, local, human gatherings anymore.
Customer service has not been helpful. When I reached out with concerns, they offered no real solutions.
Most importantly, I have serious safety concerns. I have been harassed multiple times through this platform, reported users, and still saw those same users continue to operate normally, show up to events, and harass others. That is unacceptable for an app built around meeting strangers.
At this point, I would not recommend Couchsurfing. It no longer feels safe, community-centered, or user-friendly.
The new app is frustrating to use. Every time I open it, I have to verify my email, receive a PIN, and go through extra steps just to sign in. It does not seem capable of saving my login or keeping me signed in like a normal app should. The design is also completely different from the old platform, and users were not prepared for the change.
The events section has also become diluted with impersonal Couchsurfing-sponsored events that no one seems to attend, making it much harder to find real, local, human gatherings anymore.
Customer service has not been helpful. When I reached out with concerns, they offered no real solutions.
Most importantly, I have serious safety concerns. I have been harassed multiple times through this platform, reported users, and still saw those same users continue to operate normally, show up to events, and harass others. That is unacceptable for an app built around meeting strangers.
At this point, I would not recommend Couchsurfing. It no longer feels safe, community-centered, or user-friendly.
Many people inactive!!
The most frustrating: pay-subscription-&-pray-some-God-to-help-you-out!! EVERY YEAR IS THE SAME INEFICIENTCY!! Now the said they have a new face… maybe different look, but paying subscription & getting “assistance” FOR THE THIRD TIME is an epic drama to solve. The even mail me saying something like “if you can’t communicate in a couple of hours, we can’t help you… so I have to dedicate my life to them!! Horrible, terrible, unprofessional!!
Terrible updates!!!!
Everything looks so confusing after the recent new update. Too many excessive and irrelevant information flooding in. Literally ruining the whole experience. The old version is way better, please switch back or I won’t subscribe next year.
The new update is terrible
I am a user since 2014. This new update of couchsurfing is horrible. They ruined a great community. So sad that they’d do this to an amazing community.
Sad Update
New app blows hard
Garbage Update switch to Couchers
This is the final straw. This company has been going downhill ever since it turned private but this last update is horrendous. From security risks to actually being able to host or find a host.
Good luck but I recommend everyone moving on to Couchers, this is absolute unusable garbage.
Good luck but I recommend everyone moving on to Couchers, this is absolute unusable garbage.
New Update
This new version of Couchsurfing is the worst thing they could ever do. I don't understand how trying to make things better makes them worse. I haven't even been able to sign in because the new process is so confusing and annoying. I hope they change it soon.
Useless app!
The reboot of this app has basically made the entire project useless. Such a loss for so many people…
La app más complicada y lenta del mundo
Fondo negro, 5 tipos de chats que no puedes ver porque te cobran, Yano puedes añadir países visitados, no puedes ver mensajes porque tienes que PAGAR,no carga, es lenta , las fotos ampliadas se ven horribles , no puedes ver la info relevante de un host
PÉSIMO
PÉSIMO
It sucks now
Couchsurfing used to be amazing. Now it’s a greedy for-profit with a glitchy unusable app. Look elsewhere.
Terrible update
The new update is absolutely terrible it killed the app
This is no longer Couchsurfing
They’ve completely changed their focus with the latest update. They have lost the original purpose of the site in pursuit of profit. This is now some kind of pseudo meetup or maybe even hookup app. Purportedly you can still use it for Couchsurfing but they have made it so difficult to do that it’s not worth it. Also from a technical pov the major update has gone ridiculously poorly (the break everything up front & promise to eventually fix it method) & the new design from a graphical user interface standpoint is horrible & looks to be ai designed. Couchsurfing has never been perfect but at least it functioned for its purpose previously. Now it’s lost its purpose & it just doesn’t work. As a long term user this is maddening as this is all a massive unforced error & now the whole community is ruined & my years of investment in my profile have been thrown out the window.
Can’t turn on hosting availability
So difficult to use. Slow and sluggish app. Worse the previous one. Why can’t they just keep things similar to before. I followed these instructions and I still can’t find it : It looks like Couchsurfing renamed/moved this. It may not say “couch availability” anymore.
Try this:
In the app or website:
1. Go to Profile
2. Tap Edit Profile
3. Look for Hosting Availability or Couch Status
4. Set it to Accepting Guests or Maybe Accepting Guests
Try this:
In the app or website:
1. Go to Profile
2. Tap Edit Profile
3. Look for Hosting Availability or Couch Status
4. Set it to Accepting Guests or Maybe Accepting Guests
WTF have you done?
WTF you're doing?
New update…
New update ruined everything.
Pretty new app with poor readability
Edit: the app is currently broken. I can’t send a request on iOS or in the browser, which means I have nowhere to sleep tomorrow. Couchsurfing needs to prioritize its main function and stop trying to be a social media site.
I’ve been Couchsurfing for 11 years and am a top host in my city. I actually really like where this design update is going, but it’s confusing, the good hierarchy of the old app is gone and been replaced by… something. A dark background (is this only in dark mode?) where each, for example, review is separated only by a thing, faint line is just hard to process. Profile pictures are now blown up on mobile in such a way that no single picture is optimized.
Again, I really like the way this looks, but it needs tweaking and structure. This is an opportunity to fix some problems of the old app, and the added complication of the new ones makes things, well, complicated, but I’m optimistic for the future of the app.
Now if only the yearly fee stopped being mandatory, 6 years after it was implemented for the pandemic…
I’ve been Couchsurfing for 11 years and am a top host in my city. I actually really like where this design update is going, but it’s confusing, the good hierarchy of the old app is gone and been replaced by… something. A dark background (is this only in dark mode?) where each, for example, review is separated only by a thing, faint line is just hard to process. Profile pictures are now blown up on mobile in such a way that no single picture is optimized.
Again, I really like the way this looks, but it needs tweaking and structure. This is an opportunity to fix some problems of the old app, and the added complication of the new ones makes things, well, complicated, but I’m optimistic for the future of the app.
Now if only the yearly fee stopped being mandatory, 6 years after it was implemented for the pandemic…
La nueva actualización es un asco
Lo peor que pudieron hacer! Que retroceso.
Abandon Couch
Saw the new update and changes yesterday. Started building out my new Couchers.org profile today. It’s been fun. See you on the community focused platform. Really wish CS had kept that B Corp Certification. 👋🏼
New app is AI garbage
The new app is disappointingly all made with AI making things more difficult to read. It is harder to use and features are missing. It didn’t need to be changed. The old one was fine.
Would not recommend!
This app used to be great. Now it’s full of useless features and locked behind a subscription. Huge downgrade !
change it back!!!
horrible update. i don’t even want to open the app anymore.
Sucks 🍑
This app was never the best and it worked fine, after the update its complete 🗑️🚮.
So many problems with stupid little things like all the pics are cut smaller so u can’t 👀 full pic.
Notifications never really worked.
Hangouts it’s so confusing now
You can’t message someone until again until they message you back so if you forgot to say something you’re screwed
Ages are given by decades instead of actual years
You can’t see when someone last logged in bc there’s more profiles not being used that are used so lots of dead weight
The list goes on
So many problems with stupid little things like all the pics are cut smaller so u can’t 👀 full pic.
Notifications never really worked.
Hangouts it’s so confusing now
You can’t message someone until again until they message you back so if you forgot to say something you’re screwed
Ages are given by decades instead of actual years
You can’t see when someone last logged in bc there’s more profiles not being used that are used so lots of dead weight
The list goes on
AI made app?
How could you make such huge changes and without proper testing just roll it out? Some of my reviews lost, clicking some links brings error to retrieve data. It is a fatality shot for community. At least keep web app old style before you figure out all the errors. So stupid and sad
This thing just deleted almost all my messages for years of connecting to people.
This thing just deleted almost all my messages for years of connecting to people.
Dead app
It used to be great, but now it’s terrible. They pushed a horrible major update and require a subscription now. Don’t waste your time using this app.
So Bad Now
They ran into the ground. Feels more like a web app than an app. I constantly get logged out and have to verify my email to get back in. The interface sucks. It’s in dark mode now. You can’t click on photo albums anymore, photos flash on the profile. You can’t directly read people’s profiles. Instead you have to expand different sections to read the full text. It’s an absolute nightmare. Bunch of morons.
Update
Removed all the useful features, now app is unusable.
Horrible Update
It’s a shame that such a good app that brought me so much fun during my trips is now basically dead.
AI Slop
Unfortunately a failed effort to update CS’ app. I wanted to start hosting again and can’t find the option to do so. It feels very vibe coded.
It’s a trap
Trapped me into paying for a subscription only to have none of the features work… waste of iPhone space let alone the money
New design ruined a perfectly good app
The new design is absolutely terrible. You can no longer see who’s open to hosting, who just wants to hang out, or even basic info like the last time someone was active. These features were essential for safety and making real connections. Now the app is confusing, cluttered, and much less functional. It used to be simple and straightforward - I have no idea who thought this redesign was a good idea. Please bring back the old version.
WORST UPDATE EVER
Hate the new version, feels like a dating app. And is too much stuff happening. Awfulllll
Kill switch?
I don’t know you would choose to sabotage everything for you and others for this decision
The redesigned version is just unusable
Apparently, the redesigned version seems pretty vibe-coded and has too many bugs. It’s not fair to destroy such a great app that easy!
Awful experience in the new app
The travelers list photos is covered with some blurred card. Many times it’s impossible to see the travelers’ faces… if you tap on the card, the a map shows up, and you need an extra tap to see the profile and the pictures.
Why do I need to see a map in the travelers detail? Its sounds redundant since the filter is by location (nearby). I’d rather see the travelers pictures
Why do I need to see a map in the travelers detail? Its sounds redundant since the filter is by location (nearby). I’d rather see the travelers pictures
New App
They changed the format from simple to now is complex and overwhelming. It’s essentially a totally different app whoever designed this to be kicked in the nuts. Go back to the drawing board and make the color scheme more inviting and easier to navigate like it was before.
New update
Bring back the old version please, this new one is useless and awful, I’d love a refund, I miss the hangouts option, why?
+ 36 more in the clipboard copy
Sentiment summary
90%
Positive (4-5★)
3%
Neutral (3★)
8%
Negative (1-2★)